Grain cleaner



J. VOLZ GRAIN CLEANER Feb. 8 1927.

Filed March 17, 1924l 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. VOLZ GRAIN CLEANER Feb. af, 1927.

Filed March 1'7, 3 Sheets-Sheet 15 @Morin m Patented Feb., l1

JOSEPH voLaor ELLIOTT, NORTH DAKOTA.v 1

i .fciiiiiiix CLEANER.

^ ,App'iieflnpn'iea March 17,1924.'Y serial no'. cease?. y

This invention has reference to a. machine especially designed for scarifymg, hnllmg and cleaning grain such as oats sweet clover,

V3 3 of Figure 2.

alfalfa,V clover, wheat, Vb arleyforthe like and aims tofprovide novel means for separating the hulls and lother foreign matter from the'seed.` It may also be used as a scourer for wheat ,andv rye f and asa smut machine. The `smutkernelsv being broken and separated by draft without lloss of grain. ,v

An. important object `of the invention is to provide seed engaging member ofa novel construction, which willscarify 'and hull the seed on its passage through -the machine, the construction of the machine tto pass through the machine by gravity. i f

Another object of the invention isV the provision of means for creating a draftvr of air through -theimachine so thatV the hulls and other foreign matter maybe separated by the air7 the hulls being carriedV off by the draft to aplace of deposit. 5

Viith theV foregoing and other objects; in f view which will appear asv the descriptionv proceeds, the invention resides; inthe combination and arrangement of parts .and inr the details of construction -hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to 'the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a sectionalview taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1. y i y Figure 8 is a sectional view taken online VReferring to the drawings in detail, the frame of the device includes supporting legs 5 which are connected adjacent to their lower ends by means of horizontal barsl 6,V bars 7 being provided at the upper ends of Y. the legs 5 to hold the legs connected at their upper ends.

Intermediate bars 8 connect the leg members and provide supports for the member 9 through which the grain passes, the member 9 being in the form of an inverted bowl,v

the inner surface thereoic being supplied with a seed engaging memberHlO formed with a plurality of openings, the walls thereof extending inwardly as at'211` toprividel l scarifying surfaces, i A

Disposed under the mer'nberl 9 is a circular fan 'housing 12 'which Ecommunicates with the atmosphere' at one side *thereof7 through the passagewayA 13,' which Vconstitutes Vthe Vdischarge opening for the `hulls' or other foreign matter drawnthroughthe inachine.' At the opposite side-of the machine is a chute 14 which communicates with the rpassageway lformedbetween the circular fan housing 12 andthe casing 16 whichis shown assupported in'spaced relation there-i with. Y

-Connected with thefbars 6 atopposite sides of the frame isa barV 17 formedwith an opening 'to accommodate the threaded..

.member l18 to which the yadjustable,.bearing 19 moves, the adjustable bearing 19 having j a tapered upper Vend fitted ,in a tapered re- Cessed 'portion in the lower end of thesl'iaft 20, whereby the Weight of the shaft 2O may be properly supported. p Y

The shaft 2O Vis also supportedl in bear# ings2l Vand 22 fand carries ,a beveled pinion 23A at its :upper end that meshes ywiththe pinion 24 secured to the `inner end of the shaftV 25' vthat `receives motion `through the pulleyy 26l anda suitable powerdevice not shown. .j i

Mounted on the shaft 2O is a fan'27 that operates in the fan housing 12, the fupper wall 23 of the fan housing being formed with an opening whereby air may be drawn into the fan housing and forced through the discharge opening 13 thereof.'k

The reference character 29 indicates aro# tating member-which rotates by its connecf tion with the shaft 2Oy and as shown'this member 29 isfsubstantiallv cone-shaped to' fit within the member 9. The outer surface of the member 29`is covered with' a metallic,` Y

housing 12 and casing 16 is adepending cirv 110 cular member B24-that extends inwardly toV direct the seed vinwardly towards the tan the traine and has an opening controlled by the vsliding closure 3G, the opening being arranged directly over Vthe membera29 Vto direct grain thereto, where the grain may be liulledr and cleaned. It might be further stated that'tlie. member 29 is securedrto the shaft 2O by means of the collar which is supplied with' a set'screwV 38 that has its innerl end engaging shaft 20, so that by loos-V ening the set screw, the member 29 maybe adjusted longitudinally ot the shaft 20to varyvthe distance between therinember 29 and seed engaging member 10, thereby adapting the 'device 'for use in connection withseed. ot' various sizes. n

In the operation of the. device the ineinvv'ber '29i's`properly' adjusted for the type ot seed. to be cleaned, andthe seedallowedvto tall from k'the' hopper 35 onto the member 29. The member 29 is rotated ina manner as described, whereupon the cooperating Vsharp edges ofthe walls ot the openings formed in the members'1Q, and the openings 31 ofthe covering member 30 will scarit'y the seed passing' therebetween to the'l end that the hulls and vother light material will be removed from the seed.

As the seed passes downwardly into the space between the -t'an housing 12 and casingv 1h, airpassing' intol the tan housing will pick up the hulls and other light material and draw the same into the fan housing wherev .it will be discharged through the passageway 13, the seed or heavier particles 'passing into the chute 14.

From the foregoing it is believed thata further detail description as to the opera-k tion Volf `the device is believed unnecessary.

A grain cleaner including; a Jframe, a lan housing. supported at the base of the trame, and having anY open' upper Vend through which' air may pass, an inverted bowlshaped member supported above the upper -end oi" the fan housing, a cone operating iii the' bowl, said bowl andcoiie-shaped member vhaving, cooperating i'oughened ,surfaces spaced VVapart to allow seed to pass therethrough",` a flange carriedY at the base of the bowl, and having an inwardly extended portion, a tiangecairied at the base" otl the cone and providing a passageway with the lirst mentioned liange, said flanges being spaced tromthe upper end* ot the tan easing to allow air to pass thereunder, a vertical shaft adjustably supportedrvwithin the traine and extending through the fan housing and bowl, a tan on the slia'ttand operating iii the tan housing, meansV for adjustably supporting the cone', and means tor operating the shaft to rotate the cone and fan to scarify seed passing'over the cone, and said tan adapted to' operate to blow foreign matter trom the seed passingl between the flanges. ln' testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixedmy signa*- ture.

Josnrri voLz. 

